{"id":117604,"date":"2024-03-14T19:39:15","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T23:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/best-french-textbooks\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T05:34:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T10:34:06","slug":"best-french-textbooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/best-french-textbooks\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Best French Textbooks for Every Level"},"content":{"rendered":"

To become a maverick of the French language, you need to have an understanding of French grammar and enough vocabulary<\/a> to get you started.<\/p>\n

One of the best ways to do that is with a good old fashioned textbook, but you need to have a good one!<\/p>\n

Read on for the best French textbooks for every level<\/strong> that will hold your hand through la rue\u00a0<\/em>(the road) ahead.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Best French Textbooks for Beginners<\/h2>\n

1. Easy French Step-by-step<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

This book is the number one best-seller in the French Language Instruction portion of Amazon.com. It’s popular for a good reason.<\/p>\n

The way this book is organized takes you through different modules in a way that actually makes sense. It introduces more than 300 verbs<\/strong>, presented in order of importance.<\/p>\n

Verbs are vital when you’re starting out. This textbook will give you a foundation for grammar, vocabulary, all while building off itself chapter by chapter. It comes complete with a ton of exercises and their solutions, which makes for good practice!<\/p>\n

2. Allez, viens<\/em>! French 1<\/a> \"Allez,<\/a><\/h3>\n

An oldie but a goodie, this textbook is targeted at middle and high school students but works as a great starting point for adult learners.<\/p>\n

It won’t get you fluent in French, but the aim is to get you proficient, with lots of coverage on colloquial language and interesting topics<\/strong> to keep you engaged with the content. It also encourages you to learn new vocabulary by using contextual clues.<\/p>\n

3. Entre Amis<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Entre<\/a><\/p>\n

If you like your books to be a little more flashy, then this may be a better choice than Easy French Step-by-Step<\/em>, as it has more graphics. This text is best if you have a vague knowledge of French already, but it’s still great for beginners because it covers, well, beginner’s French.<\/p>\n

Many of the modules focus more on oral interactions, teaching through a performance-oriented approach<\/strong>. So if you’re outgoing, find a language-learning buddy<\/a> to practice with.<\/p>\n

Unlike similar textbooks, its focus is on phrases and vocabulary that (gasp!)\u00a0you may actually use in the real world.<\/p>\n

4. Contacts: Langue et culture fran\u00e7aises\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Contacts:<\/a><\/p>\n

This textbook boasts great visuals, important cultural references, help with pronunciation<\/strong> and a useful French-English dictionary in the back, so you don’t have to go craning your neck from textbook to dictionary and back again.<\/p>\n

If you are looking for listening exercises (very important if you ever hope to understand the French), then make sure you get the supplemental audio to go along with it.<\/p>\n

Excellent French Textbooks for Intermediate Learners<\/h2>\n

5. En bonne forme<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"En<\/a><\/p>\n

Idioms<\/a> and slang<\/a> aplenty<\/strong>! Didn’t think you’d find that in a textbook, did you? This book is serious business. If grammar is what you need help with, and you’re ready to sprinkle more advanced vocabulary into your French, then here’s your solution.<\/p>\n

En bonne forme<\/em> is a great reference for all things French grammar, and it goes through the tenses<\/a> and rules with great examples, explanations and attention to detail.<\/p>\n

6. Mise en sc\u00e8ne: cin\u00e9ma et lecture<\/em><\/a> \"Mise<\/a><\/h3>\n

If you’re studying French, then there’s a chance that you may also enjoy French cinema<\/a>. French can open doors to wonderful time periods and styles of filmmaking<\/strong>. And while watching French movies is certainly a viable way to learn French, sometimes having a more organized approach is best.<\/p>\n

This textbook does exactly that; it uses French-language films and corresponding texts to help expand your knowledge of culture and vocabulary, with activities that tie it all together. Cinephiles and Francophiles alike, this may be as fun as textbooks get.<\/p>\n

7. Moments Litteraires<\/em>: An Anthology for Intermediate French<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Moments<\/a><\/p>\n

Bookworms, I know you’re out there, wondering if you can just read your way to fluency. Well, no, not technically, but you sure can learn about the intricacies of grammar (oh hey simple past tense<\/a>) and build your vocabulary.<\/p>\n

This is an anthology of French masterpieces<\/strong>, dating back from the Middle Ages to present day. It also includes pre- and post-reading activities to help you get the most out of each reading.<\/p>\n

Effective French Textbooks for Advanced Learners<\/h2>\n

8. Le Bon Usage<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Le<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the pinnacle of French textbooks<\/strong>. This reference guide to the nooks and crannies of French usage and style is a whopping 1600-1800 pages (depending on what edition you get). It was first published in 1936 and has been revised systematically since.<\/p>\n

It may seem daunting, but if you’re serious about your French, ranging from struggling beginner to fluent professional, this book will have the answers presented in an organized manner to any little question about usage you may have.<\/p>\n

9. Advanced French<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Advanced<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for something a little more general, then this book may be more your speed. With similar topics to Le Bon Usage<\/em>, it’s a little bit easier to digest because it’s made for English speakers.<\/p>\n

It has an insane amount of French examples from a huge array of texts, and will give you a detailed answer to all your grammar questions<\/strong>. It’s also a more normal size for a textbook (706 pages), including a very helpful index of phrases, vocabulary and topics to help make finding what you need to know a little easier.<\/p>\n

10. Short Stories in French<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Short<\/p>\n

Similar to Moments Litteraire<\/em> in its teaching methods, this is a great book for more casual French reading (assuming you can read in French, that is). It has great short stories, all in both French and English<\/strong> (to help you out with comprehension).<\/p>\n

Though not strictly a textbook, you can use this book of short stories in the same way.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for more books like this and aren’t ready to throw the English crutches to the curb just yet, then there are plenty of parallel texts out there. Here’s a good list<\/a> of other titles.<\/p>\n

Best French Vocabulary Textbooks<\/h2>\n

11. Mastering French Vocabulary: A Thematic Approach<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Mastering<\/p>\n

If you were a student for many years and didn’t get a lot of immersion-based experience, but somehow emerged at the end with a whole lot of grammar knowledge (teachers like to review those tenses!), then you’re probably looking for some vocabulary help. This book contains over 5,000 words and phrases<\/strong> (Learn all of them! All of them!), all organized by theme to make it digestible.<\/p>\n

12. Larousse French-English Dictionary<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Larousse<\/p>\n

Every French learner needs a good dictionary<\/strong>. While there are\u00a0plenty of french translation apps<\/a> out there, there’s nothing like the good-old-fashioned way\u00a0of translating!<\/p>\n

They’ve got a variety of editions including editions for middle schoolers<\/a>, college students, a concise version<\/a>, pocket version <\/a>and a big old hardcover one<\/a> if you like having big red books on your shelf.<\/p>\n

Top French Grammar Textbooks<\/h2>\n

13. 501 French Verbs<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"501<\/p>\n

This book is invaluable. If you suddenly forget the past participle of\u00a0pouvoir,\u00a0<\/em>you whip this book out, find the verb and there it is\u2014its past participle and how to form it in all the major tenses.<\/p>\n

And, you guessed it, this is done with 501 different verbs<\/strong>. A good thing to have on your shelf, no matter what level your French is at.<\/p>\n

14. La Conjugaison Pour Tous<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Bescherelle<\/a><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re an absolute beginner trying to conjugate avoir<\/em>\u00a0or an intermediate learner trying to understand finer points of the subjunctive mood<\/a>, \u201cLa conjugaison pour tous\u201d<\/em> offers everything you need to know about verb conjugations.<\/p>\n

Not only does\u00a0\u201cLa conjugaison pour tous\u201d<\/em> cover as many verbs as even the best online conjugators, but each entry goes above and beyond by giving contextual information about how the verb is used. All tenses are given,<\/strong> plus additional information often not found in other conjugation books.<\/p>\n

15. La Grammaire Pour Tous<\/a><\/em><\/h3>\n

\"Bescherelle<\/a>Another popular installment in the Bescherelle series, \u201cLa grammaire pour tous\u201d<\/em> is a popular book in French immersion schools with millions sold.<\/p>\n

\u201cLa grammaire pour tous\u201d<\/em> presents syntax, punctuation, and <\/strong>sentence structure<\/strong><\/a> with easy-to-follow examples, allowing you to write advanced French faster.<\/p>\n

16. English Grammar for Students of French<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"English<\/a>It\u2019s not counter-intuitive to review English grammar while learning French because French has so deeply influenced English that their respective grammar rules exhibit surprising similarities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most textbooks don\u2019t explain French grammar by comparing it to English, leaving students scratching their heads trying to understand when to use certain constructs. Granted, there are many great reference books for French grammar, but \u201cEnglish Grammar\u201d sets itself apart by offering concise explanations and examples tailored to English speakers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Prospective writers will find examples of virtually every construct practical to learners, each with a direct comparison to its English equivalent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Best French Pronunciation Textbooks<\/h2>\n

17. Exercises in French Phonics\u00a0<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Exercises<\/p>\n

So you’ve got your vocab under control, your grammar in check, but you sound pretty weird when you speak.<\/p>\n

If you need to kick your pronunciation<\/a> into gear<\/strong>, this book is a great resource. It’s also a nice and compact book so you can take it with you on all your French-speaking adventures.<\/p>\n

18. L\u2019orthographe Pour Tous<\/a><\/em><\/h3>\n

\"Bescherelle<\/a>This Bescherelle installment is far more than a simple dictionary.\u00a0\u201cL\u2019orthographe pour tous\u201d<\/em>\u00a0helps you memorize French spelling by\u00a0grouping together words\u00a0that are spelled similarly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This book\u00a0explains different methods to write a given sound, in addition to providing lists of homonyms (words with similar pronunciations but different meanings) to be aware of.<\/p>\n

Each word in the glossary includes a number which directs you to its entry containing its etymology and the spelling rules for the\u00a0word group\u00a0it belongs to. \u201cL\u2019orthographe pour tous\u201d\u00a0<\/em>is,\u00a0in my opinion, one of the rare books that goes beyond mere memorization to help you organize your study of French spelling.<\/p>\n

19. Savoir Dire<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"Savoir<\/a>Even if you\u2019re already taken classes to improve your pronunciation<\/a>, \u201cSavoir dire\u201d<\/em> serves as a great reference book for spoken French.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pronunciation remains one of the greatest stumbling blocks for French learners<\/strong>. \u201cSavoir dire\u201d<\/em> breaks down complicated words into easily repeatable sounds demonstrated in an included CD and helps you master the phonetic alphabet.<\/p>\n

More than just teaching you how to pronounce French, \u201cSavoir dire\u201d<\/em>explains how to use your mouth like a francophone when you speak.<\/p>\n

20. A La Recherche d\u2019un Emploi<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\"AThis book allows advanced students to gain insight into the French workplace, and the\u00a0examples of French business correspondence make this textbook a great reference book to have on hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cA la recherche\u201d<\/em> provides myriad examples of French business texts<\/strong>: r\u00e9sum\u00e9s, cover letters, financial statements, you name it. Business writing in France is very different from elsewhere, so it\u2019s important to understand the key\u00a0differences at play here.<\/p>\n

Also of note are hundreds of words used daily at the office, covering a range of domains including economics, technology, personal finance, etc. You\u2019ll never be at a loss for words in the office again!<\/p>\n

Another great learning resource is the authentic French video library of Flue ntU<\/a>:<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p> \r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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